TRACT AND MISSIONARY QUARTERLY MEETINGS.
By S. N. Haskell
The effort to establish church quarterly meetings on the first Sabbath and first-day in each quarter has proved a success as far as it has been adopted. The quarterly meetings of the tract society are equally important. The usefulness of any society depends upon its working element, and once a quarter is none too often for each member to report. Large churches should have missionary meetings oftener. Monthly, and in some cases weekly, meetings would be of interest; but each company, whether large or small, should hold a missionary meeting the first-day following the first Sabbath in each quarter. It is the duty of each member of the tract society to induce all members of the church to become members of the tract society, to labor to accomplish something in the missionary work, and then to report. It is needless to repeat that it is necessary for each member to have a pass book in which to enter the number of pages of tracts as he receives them from the librarian, and also the labor he performs during the quarter. The librarian should see that each member receives a blank report at least one week before the church quarterly meeting. This blank should be filled by the members and presented at this meeting. MANNER OF CONDUCTING THE CHURCH QUARTERLY MEETING.
In the absence of any higher officer, the librarian, or some person he may appoint, should preside at the meeting. The items of business should be taken up in the following order:— 1. After the usual exercises of opening the meeting, a report of the previous quarterly meeting of the church tract society should be read by the librarian, embracing the following points: 1. The number of members in the society; 2. The number of reports returned; 3. The number who have paid their one-third; 4. The amount of donations exclusive of the one-third; 5. The number of subscribers obtained for each of our periodicals; 6. The number of pages of tracts given out during the quarter, the number of periodicals distributed, and a summary of other labor performed; 7. The financial standing of the church with the district, and a general report of the previous meeting. 2. Call for individual reports. 3. Letters or extracts from letters can then be read. 4. A report of the Vigilant Committee, which may be given by the chairman of that committee. 5. Personal experience in the missionary work can be related. 6. Business which should be acted upon at the meeting, including a call for new members. The call for members should never be neglected. A report of this meeting with a statement of the number of pages of tracts and pamphlets, and the value of premiums, etc., on hand, should be forwarded immediately to the district secretary. Do this the Monday following the meeting, so that it may be received before the district quarterly meeting. Also all the money on hand should be forwarded or carried to the district quarterly meeting. THE DISTRICT QUARTERLY MEETING.
This meeting should be held the second Sabbath and first-day in each quarter. We make the following suggestions in reference to the manner in which it should be conducted:— 1. Read the report of the previous meeting, which should give the number of members in the district, the number of reports returned, and a summary of labor performed by each church in the district during the previous quarter, the number of periodicals taken for distribution by each church, and such other items as will be of interest to the members present. 2. Following this should come the reading of the report of labor performed during the present quarter, relating to all points above mentioned, including the financial standing of the district and each church at the close of the previous quarter and also at the present time. From a report of both quarters thus given, it will be seen whether the district is falling back in its interest or advancing. A table such as has been used, and frequently appears in the REVIEW, can be arranged so as to readily show what has been done during the quarter by each church in the district. 3. Any general business in behalf of the society should be called for. 4. Personal experience in the missionary work should be related. General remarks by the director, instructions given illustrated by the experiences related, will often add to the interest, and impart much light upon the missionary work. A report of this meeting should be immediately forwarded to the State secretary. This is very important, and should not be delayed a single day. In addition to the general report of the meeting, and business done, do not neglect the following: 1. State the number of members in your district; 2. The number who have returned reports; 3. The number of pages of tracts and pamphlets, and the value of premiums, &c., on hand in your possession; 4. The number of clubs of SIGNS, and the aggregate number of copies taken in clubs in your district; 5. The number of new subscribers obtained with premiums, in your district. Simply filling out a blank report and returning it, is not sufficient; but write a report of facts and items without long preliminaries, so the State secretary may know all about the society in your district, and thus be able to give a correct report of the labor performed in the State. THE STATE QUARTERLY MEETING.
The time for this is the third Sabbath and first-day in each quarter, and it should always be held then unless there are some special reasons for delaying it a week or two. The church and district quarterly meeting should not be delayed a single week beyond the regular time;101and all money should be forwarded to the district secretary, and so on to the State secretary, each quarter, and thus to the SIGNS and REVIEW Offices. That business may be conducted properly, and to assist in keeping the accounts correctly, a set of books containing printed explanations has been prepared. These books are manufactured at the REVIEW Office, and should be in the hands of the librarians and secretaries. The librarians and district secretaries have three each, a record book, periodical book, and journal. A report of every church and district quarterly meeting should be recorded in the record book, and the names of all tract-society members.